This was a delightful romance of manners and misunderstandings, with protagonists who just happen to be telekenetics! I loved the evocative descriptions of the costumes and the houses and thought that the prose in general was gorgeous. Nina is a fabulous main character, towing the line gracefully between shrinking violet and modern woman and I was rooting for her throughout. Similarly, Valerie makes for a wonderful antagonist, as her motivations are understandable, albeit, unpleasant. Overall, this was a really enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone with a love for regency romance.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A surprising historical romance from the author of Mexican Gothic.

As I started reading The Beautiful Ones, I had to pull up Goodreads to look and see if I had mixed up the author's work as this is so very different from Mexican Gothic.

There is a small element of magic in this story but it isn't really important overall. The characters are front and center in this story. I enjoyed the love triangle, romance, the heartbreak and the character development.

I was swept along in the beautiful writing and enjoyed every moment of this read.

I thought this would be the Silvia Moreno-Garcia book that made me love her. I was wrong.
I did not enjoy this at all and felt extremely bored while reading.

I guess this author is just not for me and that is okay. I know a lot of people who enjoyed this so I do know the proper reader to recommend this book to.

Another exciting, vibrant, well-written novel by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, The Beautiful Ones proves once more why the author is consistently among my must-reads!

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, publisher and NetGalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has the uncanny ability to write and immersive novel of manners and add a touch of the supernatural so flawlessly that it perfectly suspends disbelief. The Beautiful Ones is another masterful piece of writing from someone who should be considered one of the greats of speculative fiction.

Highly recommended reading.
5 out of 5 stars.

Beautiful story. I love the magical elements intermixed but not causing it to become entirely fantasy. Have enjoyed all of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books that I have read so far and this was no exception.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for offering an e-arc in exchange for an honest review, but sadly, I DNFed this at 40%.

I do not think this is a bad back. I made the mistake of requesting this ARC without reading what the book was about (and without a lot of exposure to Moreno-Garcia's writing in general). However, I requested it ill-advisedly. I quickly learned my mistake (and was part of what kept me from reading it for so long) when I found out this was a fantasy love story.

A wealthy young woman is being courted by an older man she is enamored with. Throw in telekinesis and a bit of background drama and you have this book. I see nothing wrong with that. The writing was easy to follow and even engrossing. I fell confident the story is (or will prove to be) perfectly sound. It's simply a story I have little interest in.

I'm 40% into this book and I'm not invested in what is going to happen. They may end up happy ever after or they may break up. Hell, maybe one kills the other. Even that absurd possibility just doesn't call to me. I kind of realized that immediately. I started this and restarted it after half an hour because I realized it wasn't working. I pushed through to give it a fair shot, but the truth is, the romance with a hint of fantasy just isn't a plot that works for me.

It's not a bad book. It's well written. It's just not for me.

A delightful book full of adventure, action, and thrills. Fun to read, engrossing world building, and very descriptive imagery made it feel like it was cinematic. It's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. Would recommend.

I love that the author, Silivia, posted on GR that all of her books straddle multiple genres and can’t be expected to follow similar lines as each other. It shows what an incredible writer sue is that she can even do this.

This is a beautifully written book that is a slow burn, just delicious to read. If you love historical characters driven novels I highly highly recommend this one.

What I love about Silvia Moreno-Garcia is that no two books are alike. I love that each has a different vibe.. It makes for some very interesting reading. The Beautiful Ones, is as unique as any of her books and I am so glad so got a chance to read it. Nina, doesn’t have an easy life and her debutante year is coming and she need to depend on her cousin and his wife. Their intentions aren’t the same and Nina finds herself, messing up right from the start. She doesn’t seem to have what she needs to be a socialite and she is desperately trying to control her telekinesis.. to no avail. Her powers make her the talk of town gossip and she is often referred to as a witch.
An entertainer comes to town and Nina finds herself enamored.. He has been all over the world and he has the same powers. He wants to help Nina control her skills and he can be her tutor. They spend a lot of time together and Nina gets finds she is getting better at her skills and falling in love. But no romance story has an easy plot. This story had many twists and Nina has to become a strong young lady.. She has to get her life in control and her heart under control. Will secrets keep them apart? Can they get through the betrayal?
Can Nina fit in with the crowd or will she be herself? I loved the writing and I really liked the characters. I felt myself rooting for Nina at every turn. This was a four star read for me and I hope you enjoy it too… I want to thank Netgalley & the author for my copy for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review..

Fascinating story. I don't know how she comes up with these ideas. Each book is unique in its own way.

Didn’t finish. I’ve loved some of SMG’s other work but this didn’t click with me for several reasons. I couldn’t find a character I liked or cared for, and I felt like everyone was getting played. The plot just wasn’t something I cared for, even after getting 30% into it. I’m disappointed it wasn’t a hit but I know that this isn’t my last SMG book.

Historical romance? The beauty of Silvia is that she crosses many genres. This isn’t Mexican Gothic. This isn’t Gods of Jade and Shadow. This is Silvia showcasing her writing. Beautifully done I might add. Can’t wait to see if more of her earlier works are made available!

Absolutely phenomenal. A beautiful, lush Regency era romance with fantasy undertones that left me completely captivated. Stellar characterization work and a perfect pacing kept me turning pages from start to finish. I've seen reviewers criticize the downplay of the telekinetic powers that this world has, but I couldn't disagree more. On top of loving the idea of subverting my expectations, I thought this was a perfect metaphor for how the strict social doctrines of this era controlled every aspect of people's lives, turning something as powerful and grandiose as telekinesis into something regarded as a tacky parlor trick. Our two protagonists Antonina and Valerie represented two sides of one coin, embracing and rejecting the social norms expected of them. Throughout the novel we see these discrepancies, how they clash, and the direct impact it makes on their pursuit of happy and fulfilling lives.

Beautifully done. Fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia will not be disappointed. She has proven to her fans that she will not be limited by the constraints of any genre and I am here for it.

What a amazing book! I feel in love with this one. The story is spectacular, all the characters are super vivid. I recommend with my heart.

Another charming story from bestselling author, Silvia Moreno-Garcia. The Beautiful Ones at its heart is a romance novel that follows a young woman named Nina as she makes her societal debut looking to be swept away by love. She soon meets entertainer/magician Hector who takes her under his wing in order to teach her how to use her own magical abilities. They never expected to fall in love, but how long can their courtship last when secrets and past relationships threaten everything?

I honestly loved this one. The characters were all fleshed out with so many layers. I loved Hector and Nina and was rooting for their love. Valerie however, can go die in a hole. I hated her! I would find myself legitimately angry whenever she was on the page. There is a reason for that though and even though I hated her, she added to the plot as a whole and was a necessary character.

Silvia, you are one of my favorite authors at this point!

This was such a fun read!! I zoomed thru it in just 3 sittings or so. The characters were really likeable and compelling, and it was delightful to watch their love story unfold in front of me. It was also great to see such character development across the story arc, with Hector realizing his true feelings about both Nina and Valérie.

I also loved the integration of magic. While it wasn't something that everyone had, I loved seeing Nina and Hector play with their abilities and do all sorts of cool things throughout the story. The setting/world building was great! It seemed like a cool, alt-Gilded Age to me, which I loved.

A really fun and magical romance.

What I find most fascinating of all is the dramatic difference between The Beautiful Ones and the first book I read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Gods of Jade and Shadow is based in mythology; this one is a story very much of this earth. That being said, both books are about young, independent female protagonists - completely different from each other yet both on a journey of discovering and honoring their own strengths.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/12/the-beautiful-ones.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

This is the second novel I have read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A Jane Austen like love story between an older man and a young wealthy woman with fantasy elements. Can't wait to read more work by Moreno-Garcia.

I enjoyed Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and I love a good tale of rich and beautiful people, so I was glad to get a chance to read this book. I enjoy the mystical elements that Moreno-Garcia imbues in her writing.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with this book. All thoughts are my own.